Top 5 for December

If you’re already downing kale and raw cheesecakes, chances are you’ve heard of matcha. Matcha is a Japanese green tea that’s super high in antioxidants (21 times that of blueberries), and gives you a natural energy boost without the headaches that can come with coffee. I’ve replaced my morning latte with a milky matcha and am in love! There are varying qualities out there, but this one from Matcha Matcha is the loveliest I’ve tasted.

I’m generally not a fan of books with word “diet” in them, but this is one exception. My good friend Cliff Harvey is the go-to guy when it comes to researching lower carbohydrate diets, and this book is the culmination of his 10+ years work in the field. We often have head on debates (he eats meat, I don’t), but his rationale behind adjusting individuals’ carbohydrate intake based on their unique energy requirements is beyond sound. Highly recommended, especially for the nutrition nerds amongst.

I raved about this doco a few weeks back, and if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a must watch for 2016. Whether you know much about global warming or not, this fabulous documentary by my high-school crush Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic summation of the key issues around climate change. Animal consumption + energy use + an exploding global population means we all need to reduce the animal products on our plate, (and use less power), to ensure a viable future for our planet. Get on board!

Summer is definitely here in NZ, so this gorgeous toning mist from Annmarie Skin Care is now a regular feature in my hand bag. It’s perfect for spraying on your face when you’re in need of a refresher, and an absolute must for plane travel (you know that dehydrated shrivelled up face feeling you get? Solved!). Try this spray you’ll fall in love - promise.

As if I wasn’t already in love with Little Bird’s Macaroons, they went and made the best tasting one yet - and it's coffee! Given my aforementioned matcha swap, I feel completely justified having one of these instead. The flavour is seriously divine - creamy, smooth and super more-ish. Whilst I do get headaches from coffee, these macaroons just give me heart flutters. Fair trade, organic, ethically sourced coffee too. The perfect present for Mum, Dad, Nana, or just treat yourself.